Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-09
MINERAL LANDS.
Il SUBJECT IN WHICH MANY ARE
INTERESTED.
Further Proceedings in the Dutch
Flat Case in the United States
District Court.
trsaAL DlsPArcH TO TIE REooRD-uSlos.I

A. NJ. to-day, before an examiner, NJ. +.
Skehan on the witness stand Witness
asked permission to correct his testimony
regarding John Davis Ravine. This ravine
is in section II, which is not at issue.
General Carey asked witness if he be-
ieved from his knowledge and experience
as miner that the ground in section
was mineral, and could be worked profit
ably as mineral ground.
Witness-Yes, sir. With hydraulic pro-
cess I can make 500 per day on it. By
the drift process can make from
s. to So per day to the man,
where can get one cent to the
pan. l can make s. by drifting, for
l can take out five or six carloads of dirt
each day. The greater portion of the
Shanghai mine is in section I. Prior to
the issuance of the patent to the railroad
company, the Swamp Angel Company. the
Golden Bull Company and the Lowell Hill
Company were in operation on section T.
Witness then, with great particularity
gave the names of miners who worked
upon the disputed land in those early days.
Prior to October, 1867, no one settled upon
this land there were no cabins built upon
il. Witness afterwards corrected this state
ment by saying there were some old China
cabins erected prior to that date. China
men had been working in Steep Hollow
creek every year since 1859 until some two
years ago.
General Carey-Is there any legal sub
divisions of section that is susceptible of
cultivation
Witness-No, sir; don't think there is.
The land is high. Can't raise anything
without water. Ground is porous don't
think you could raise anything upon it,
and If you did, the squirrels would take it
all. 1t Is rolling, mountainous land; very
hard to travel over. 1t is principally
gravelly soil in some places it is loan and
in others there is no soil, the bedrock COM
ing to the surface.
General Carey in this examination asked
some questions, which Mr.. Sargent OBJ
jected To- upon the ground that they were
leading and addressed to very willing
witness.
Witness said gravel deposit was found
in this section which extended through sec
ton into Liberty Hill.
General Carey asked numerous questions
about mines in adjoining sections, to all of
which Senator Sargent objected, upon the
ground that they did not refer to the land
in question, were irrelevant and imma-
terial. 4 number of questions were also
asked regarding titles, to all of which OBJ
jections were made, as they were regarded
as not significant, as they did not relate to
the character of the soil, the only issue in
the case.
Witness testified TO having paid taxes
upon the property He said from $25, GOO
to $50, 900 had been taken out of this sec
ton since its original location. Of that
amount $4,000 or $4,000 was taken out
prior to 1854 Witness had taken out half
on dow from. ha oil IIo
exhibited eleven receipts for gold sold to
W. IL 2. Nichols, bankers at Dutch Flat
from May 10, 1874, 20 July 10, 1878, aggre-
eating 81 222 IS, which he said was taken
from the Lowell Hill mine by himself
Senator Sargent objected to these receipts
being received in evidence, as it was all
subsequent to the issuance of the patent to
the railroad company, and there was no
evidence to show that any portion of it
came out of section Z.
Witness said he had taken out of Lowell
Hill from $4,000 to $4,000 in dust He
did not have the receipts for sale of all the
dust; they were lost in FIRE which burned
his house and all its contents in Nevada
City. He said he used to know Alien and
George Towle some ten or twelve years
ago. He recognized the two brothers in
Court. Have known them since 1865.
He was acquainted with Dana Perkins, a
railroad land surveyor, whom he had met
once in Nevada City.
CROSS -EXAMINATIoN.
Senator Sargent-ls not Shanghai ravine
not of of section 7?
Witness-Yes, sir.
Senator Sargent-Is not Shanghai tunnel
of of section I, alsoY
Witness-Yes, sir.
In answer to a vigorous cross-examina-
ton witness admitted that the Swamp An
gel tunnel was not on section 7. " here he
cut the race in John Davis ravine was not
on section : lie was pinned down closely
as to the work he had done on section :
the dates at which il was done, the extent
of the workings, etc. When asked why he
had ceased to work ground out of which he
could make 800 per dav, he said he had
other mines which he preferred TO work /;
finally said he did not have the hydraulic
rigging necessary. When asked what he
had done with his hydraulic paraphernalia,
be said he had sold il for $3.50. Witness
was then forced to admit that for the lack
of $3.50, 10 replace lhat rigging, he
had left lying for years mine
which he swears he could make 500
a day profit out OFF. When asked if that
was the usual practice with miners, to let
lie dormant mine that would pay 800 a
day profit because il would incur an invest
admitted that 1t was so in his particular
case Then he was asked why he did not
drift il, if he could make Sc per day to the
man. He replied that, in order to drift
some little money would have to be used
in running tunnel He was forced to ad-
NIT that he left the mine on section to
open mine which he afterwards sold for
S125, and in reality for which he never re-
ceiyed a cent of money. In this cross
II. Il
on the part of Mr.. Sargent, the witness be-
came very restless, and his answers were
st times evasive ana argumentative. He
would answer a direct question only
after being directed to do so by General
Carey and the Clerk of the Court the lat
ter finding it almost impossible to get wit
ness answers down with any degree of
intelligibility.
Senator Sargent then took up the gold
receipts. and asked him if the dust was not
taken from other districts, and not from
Lowell Hill This question excited witness
considerably, for the receipts showed that
the dust brought something over ST. per
ounce. while Lowell Hill dust is worth,
and always has been, SIS. Witness then
took back what he bad previously said
about selling all his dust for SIS an ounce.
He said be bad never been interfered with
by the Towle Bros. or anybody else.
He was asked what had become of all the
miners be had mentioned as having
worked there at certain dates. He said
Lillis was living, he believed. He was of
che opinion that all the others were dead.
adding, old Californians are going off
very fast"
Senator Sargent-What made those men
leave this very rich mineral section2
Ritness-I don't know, sir. made more
money than any man on Lowell Hill.
Senator Sargent-Stll you are so poor
thst you could not raise $3.50, which would
have enabled you to maize a clear profit OF
800 per day?
Witness-I made money fast, and spent
it fast tos. II l had saved il I would have
had a nice little stake. He said originally
section wss covered with s fine growth
OF timber-nO finer in the State. That has
been cut off. and in its place is heavy
growth of young pine. The soil. he said,
vas not fit for any kind of agricultural
purposes He said he had never raised any
fruit.
Noon recess.
Afternoon Session.
On reassembling, Senator Sargent an
nounced that he was through with the
witness.
Redirect: General Carey--You have not
worked those mines, simply because you
had NOT thu means To WORK then pi:h |